15 Things to Do After Your Nature Walk

Just a quick note to let you know that the promised Nature Walk Bags are now posted here in my shop. You can read more about the bags and how people use them here. Below are photos of some of the new ones. My model was extremely accommodating this last photo shoot. Hooray!

Now, if you remember from this post, I am one of those product people. Just going for a walk for the sake of a walk is not all that easy for me. I need a purpose, even if I don't share that purpose with my kid. Could be exercise, could be getting to a particular destination, could be simply checking out the new house they're building down the road from us. With this need in mind, and figuring there must be others out there like me, I developed a list of activities to do after a walk with all the things a child has collected. This helps me get out the door, even if we don't end up doing any of those activities. I don't think HG needs any of this kind of help, but it's nice for me to know that if we want to, we've got a bunch of possible projects already thought up. Below is the list. If you have more ideas, by all means add them in the comments section!

1. Make leaf rubbings with crayons. Cut out the rubbings and use them for gift cards or frame them in multi-photo frames.
2. Sort the findings by color or shape or number. Make a little chart and tally them up.
3. Use Mod Podge to glue leaves to old jars. Add a tealight and watch the glow! Make a lantern by wrapping a wire around the top as a handle.
4. Paint rocks (or seashells)!
5. Make little sculptures with hot glue and the collected items. Add yarn or twine or felt or other materials to enhance the sculptures or to make people or animals (think acorn caps for hats, ginko leaves as skirts...).
6. Make a mobile with your findings. Hang items from an embroidery hoop or a twig.
7. Make placemats or coasters. Iron leaves between pieces of waxed paper. Be sure to use a towel between the iron and the waxed paper.
8. Glue items to wooden craft store picture frames.
9. Look up your findings in a nature book or online and make a little display with labels for each item. Use a shoebox or a shadow box frame.
10. Using jewelry wire and cord, make necklaces or bracelets. Wrap wire around the items and make a loop at the top. String the cording through the loop.
11. Write poems or stories about the items.
12. Press flowers to make bookmarks or gift tags or decorations. Glue the flowers to paper, then cover with clear contact paper.
13. Make a journal or book of pressed items. Keep the book for future walks, and record the items' names and where you found them and anything else you like.
14. Make bird feeders from pine cones and peanut butter. Add bird seed to the sticky peanut butter and hang outside a window.
15. Make pencil sketches of the items. 

And here's a final photo of HG wearing her own bag when she was about two. Now get yourself--and your kids--outside!